What are the best ways to build brand recognition across generations?

To enhance your brand's relatability and appeal to a multigenerational audience, first be true to yourself with an emphasis on fixing problems. Following trends is frequently a bad idea since it makes your brand inconsistent and reactive. Secondly, pay attention to common values. It is not surprising that people who grew up in the same community could have different interests and values depending on what they experienced growing up but there are also similarities between generations. And most important - People want to know what your brand stands for, and if you're ambiguous, it can be difficult for them to understand. Establishing a genuine brand that people can relate is crucial.

I agree, but we also must consider that the budget doesn’t always allow high levels of tailoring to every generation and demographic — that is, if your target audience is “everyone.” In my experience, many clients say their audience is everyone, then I later discover this is inaccurate. Unless you have a huge budget, I recommend taking a deeper dive into the analytics, then allocate your dollars where key audiences have commonalities. For example, social media is still a viable option, even if only 60% of one demographic consumes information there, but 40% of another demographic does, too.

From my experience, effective brand building across generations isn't just about choosing the right channels; it's about crafting a message that resonates universally. Instead of segmenting by age, focus on a narrative that appeals broadly, like sustainability or innovation. This unified approach fosters a strong, inclusive brand identity, appealing across diverse demographics. It's about the message's impact, not just the medium.

Contrary to segmenting content by generational preferences, I've found a different approach effective: creating versatile content that transcends generational boundaries. Rather than tailoring the tone, style, and format specifically to each age group, focus on universal themes and storytelling that engage a wide audience. High-quality, relatable content often has a broad appeal, regardless of age-specific trends. This strategy simplifies content creation and strengthens your brand's voice, making it more consistent and recognizable across all platforms and demographics. It's about striking a balance between relevance and universality in your messaging.

Wer seine Brand bekannt machen will, muss AUCH auf Social Media setzen. Daher gilt es, sich jede neue App aufs Smartphone zu laden und selbst auszuprobieren. Dann merke ich, wenn ich mich zwei oder drei Wochen darauf einlasse: Wie nutze ich diese App? Bringt mir der Nutzen Freude? Schaue ich mir Werbung an? Was machen meine Wettbewerber - oder kann ich gar der erste auf der Plattform sein? Ganz wichtig: Gehe mit offenen Augen durchs Leben und frage deine Freunde, deine Familie und Bekannten, welche App sie wie nutzen.

Blockbuster and Disney are two examples that immediately come to mind. Both engaged in a multi-generational marketing and communications strategy to engage all generations and tie them together with entertainment and shared experiences. Blockbuster needed to act more quickly to address the competitive advantages of Netflix or even RedBox. They may have recovered, but past experiences with late fees (also known as "extended viewing fees") left a bad taste in customers' mouths. Disney has similar threats, especially given their policies with annual passes, broken rides, and escalating prices. Time will tell whether they can innovate around these challenges and continue to give the same magical feelings that they experienced as a child.

Nostalgia is a powerful tool for multi-generational brand building (characters, iconography, personal experiences, and more). Continue to weave threads of "magic" and mission into your work as you innovate in both product and marketing.

Tailor branding to fit each generation's preferences. This includes your personal brand! Use consistent branding, diverse platforms, personalized strategies, authentic stories, varied communication, tech adaptation, community engagement, and responsiveness to feedback.

One of the best examples of this was from a good friend that offered the following advice: If you prefer slack and your teammate prefers face-to-face, embrace this by offering a face-to-face for one topic if they’d be willing to discuss another digitally. Ideally, both scenarios have massive benefits and can help elevate the relationship.

I think Consistent Branding, is fundamental. Consitency helps in creating a recognizable and memorable brand. But this consistency needs to be tailor made for your audience, and also adapted to different channels to reach different generations, with personalization to build a strong connection with our brand and the consumer. Branding is a infinite game. Play hard, but play with heart. Connection is important!